Pope calls for free and informed culture of organ donation, warns against commodification of the body

March 27, 2026

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CWN Editor's Note: Addressing participants in a meeting organized by the Italian National Transplant Center, Pope Leo XIV recalled that “seventy years ago the first Italian donation took place, when Blessed Don Carlo Gnocchi asked for his corneas to be removed after his death and transplanted into two very young patients cared for by his charity, enabling them to see again.”

“Just a few weeks after Don Gnocchi’s gesture, Pope Pius XII offered some initial moral guidance on these issues, recognizing the legitimacy of removal for therapeutic purposes, respecting the dignity of the human body and the rights of the people involved,” Pope Leo continued, as he recalled the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and statements by St. John Paul II and Pope Francis.

Before thanking the medical professionals for their work, Pope Leo cautioned that “vigilance is always necessary to avoid any form of commodification of the human body and ensure that transplants are governed by fair and transparent criteria.” The Pontiff added:

I encourage institutions and the voluntary sector to continue their work of providing information and raising awareness, so that a culture of donation may grow that is ever more informed, free and shared, capable of recognizing in this gesture a sign of solidarity, fraternity and hope.

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